1) Field of the Invention
The field of this invention relates to brackets and more particularly to a bracket for an advertising windup reel which is to be mounted on the forward surface of an article supporting shelf that is commonly located within retail stores.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Typical self service retail stores, such as drug stores, supermarkets, computer software stores, liquor stores and the like, have rows of multiple tier shelves which are used to support products for sale. The product, or the exterior package of the product, is visually displayed on the shelf. Generally, there are many units of a particular product stocked on that shelf. The consumer would normally select a product from the shelf without the assistance of a clerk. Therefore, the shelf also performs a dispensing function.
It is common for product manufacturers and distributors to want to include a display advertisement at the shelf location for a particular product. While a product is readily visible on a shelf, the mere presence of the product, because the product is displayed with numerous other products on the shelf, may be insufficient to stimulate consumer interest. Shelf space in a store is a valuable commodity. The amount of shelf space assigned to each product is at the minimum. A given product can become xe2x80x9clostxe2x80x9d on a shelf amongst all the other products. Also, the product may be enclosed in a small package so that there is no large xe2x80x9cadvertisingxe2x80x9d space or advertising surface to catch the consumer""s eye or the available space on the package may be insufficient to contain all the information that a manufacturer or retailer wishes to depart to a potential purchaser. Additionally, the product may be packaged in a plain wrapper or, in the case of produce, no packaging at all. There also may be involved some kind of specialty promotion with a product that is not included on the package since the promotion may only run for a short period of time.
Manufacturers and retailers are becoming aware that shelf advertising can be an exceedingly effective way in which to sell goods. Not only can the advertising motivate a consumer""s purchase, but it can also be informative to the consumer about the product. Shelf advertising is limited as to the available space. The only convenient location for shelf advertising is at the front edge of the shelf which is short in length, usually no more than four to ten inches in length, and only occupies an inch to an inch and one half in height. However, if some form of device could be mounted on the front edge of the shelf and the device constructed in a manner to be expandable to a larger area so that additional information can be printed on the larger area and then made available to the consumer only when the consumer is interested in obtaining that information, then such an advertising device would be most desirable. Also, when the consumer is not utilizing the device, the device assumes a retracted state occupying a minimal amount of space when it is not used.
In the past, it has been known to mount a scroll type of device on the front end of the shelf where the scroll can be unwound to display advertising or information about a product, and then when released by the consumer, the device retracts to a small size, at-rest position. Such scrolls are commonly referred to as windup reels. In the past, these windup reels have been fixedly mounted onto the front end of the store shelf. It would be desirable to include some kind of mounting arrangement so that the windup reel could be easily removed from the shelf if such is not needed. Possibly the windup reel could be utilized only for a promotion and once the promotion ends the windup reel then becomes unnecessary. If the windup reel is permanently affixed to the shelf, removal of that windup reel is difficult.
Additionally, the scroll within the windup reel may need to be changed such as would be required at the end of a certain promotion of a product. To facilitate this changing, it is generally necessary to remove the windup reel from the shelf, move such to a work area, and then the windup reel disassembled and the scroll removed and replaced. The windup reel then needs to be reinstalled back in position in the front end of the shelf. It would be desirable to utilize some type of device to facilitate quick and easy attachment of the windup reel onto the shelf.
Windup reels in conjunction with store shelves have proved to be quite desirable because such occupy a minimal amount of space and protrude only a slight distance forward of the shelf. In the past, one way to include advertising at the front end of the shelf is to mount a free standing sign which extends outward from the shelf. However, such free standing shelves protrude into the aisle area which is used for passage of the consumers with the result that such signs are frequently struck by the consumers and knocked free of the shelf therefore becoming ineffective. Also, the usage of such free standing signs generally obscure the shelves making it somewhat difficult for the consumer to visually find a particular product that a consumer wishes to purchase. Also, such free standing signs have to be quite small in size therefore being very limited to the amount of information or advertising that could be placed thereon. Therefore, the use of a scroll within a windup reel is a far more desirable advertising device than a free standing sign.
The structure of the present invention relates to a mounting support bracket for a scroll type of advertising windup reel which facilitates quick and easy mounting of such onto the front end of an article supporting shelf in a store and also facilitates quick and easy removal of the windup reel from its mounted location. The mounting support bracket comprises a base which is to be fixedly fastened to the horizontal portion of the shelf. The depending tab is integrally secured to the base and is to extend away from the base and be located along the front end of the article supporting shelf. The base also includes a pair of hook members. The windup reel is to be clamped between the hook members and the outer end of the depending tab. The depending tab is to be manually deflectable to as to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the windup reel.
The primary objective of the present invention is to construct a mounting support bracket for an advertising windup reel that facilitates quick and easy attachment and detachment of the windup reel relative to the bracket.
Another objective of the present invention is to construct a mounting support bracket which can be quickly and easily installed in a fixed position on an article supporting shelf of a retail store.
Another objective of the present invention is to construct a mounting support bracket which is simple in construction and can be manufactured at low cost and therefore sold to the ultimate consumer at a low cost.